Cartridge valves are used in the fluid power and hydraulic control systems industries as a mechanism to control the flow of a pressurized fluid to an end user device, such as hydraulic cylinders or subsea tree actuators. Cartridge valves typically require an external pilot source, such as piloting solenoid valves, to provide a hydraulic pressure to the internal actuating pistons located in the cartridge valve. When pilot pressure is applied to a cartridge valve piston surface, the piston travels through the cylinder, providing axial movement of a valve seal mechanism. The valve seal mechanism opens or closes multiple ports for fluid transfer from one hydraulic buss to another.
Current methods of control for hydraulic piloted, manifold cartridge valves include manually operated valves that supply the cartridge valve with pilot pressures or solenoid operated piloting valves. Solenoid operated piloting valves require electrical power to actuate the piloting valve mechanism. Solenoids requiring continual electrical supply to maintain pilot supply pressure to the cartridge poppet valve use large amounts of electrical energy and create excessive heat. By creating a pressure latched cartridge poppet valve, the solenoid operated pilot valves can be de-energized, thereby saving electrical demand and consumption, and considerably reducing excessive heat.